Coming Fall 2017 From McFarlandIn the 21st century, reality television and the Internet have fed public interest in ghosts, UFOs, cryptozoology and other unusual phenomena. By 2010, roughly 2000 amateur research and investigation groups formed in the U.S.–ghost hunters, bigfoot chasers and UFO researchers, using an array of (supposedly) scientific equipment and methods to prove the existence of the paranormal. American culture’s honorific regard for science, coupled with the public’s unfamiliarity with scientific methods, created a niche for self-styled paranormal experts to achieve national renown without scientific training or credentials. The author provides a comprehensive examination of the ideas, missions and methods promoted by these passionate amateurs.
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~Education~

B.S., Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, 1992

Ed.M., Science and the Public, University at Buffalo: The State University of New York, 2010

~Publications~

2005. “Resolving Sinkhole Issues: A state government perspective”, in Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, Beck (ed.), ASCE, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 144: 520-528.

Coalition Building for the Skeptical Activist
Workshop at The Amazing Meeting with D. Silverman, D, Niose, C. Stedman and B. Mervine. Las Vegas, NV (2012) Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dwrYaBFfv4

The World of Weird News: Bigfoot, UFOs and Other Questionable ClaimsNational Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS), Arlington, VA (2013)
and Balticon, May 2014, Hunt Valley, MD Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qnj8XCFMx8

My research focus is the idea of “sham inquiry” or passing off activities that look like science but really aren’t, what I called “being scientifical“. This pretend science happens in many subject areas from ghost hunting to environmental activism. I’ve published a thesis about amateur paranormal investigation groups and am currently publishing a book on this subject.

Hill, S. A. (2010) “Being Scientifical: Popularity, Purpose and Promotion of Amateur Research and Investigation Groups in the U.S.” [Thesis] Master of Education – Science and the Public, State University of New York at Buffalo.

Series on Sham Inquiry

Sour Grapes is the contents page with introduction. Additional pieces are listed below.